The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back
by TwinkLoverXO
Summary: After their parents' death, the Curtis boys have enough to worry about: school, bills, social workers and more. The last thing they need is more stress in their lives. But when their annoying, stubborn, high-maintenance cousin May moves in, things get rough. This 16 year-old is a well-intentioned, kind-hearted brat. NOT another Mary-Sue character. No greaser/oc romance.
1. Chapter 1

**The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back**

**Hello, guys! I'm back with an _Outsiders_ fic! I uploaded this like 3 or 4 years ago and took it down because it needed serious editing. It wasn't up for long. But I freaking love this story and thought that it NEEDED to be on here.**

**Summary: After their parents' death, the Curtis boys have enough to worry about: school, bills, social workers and more. The last thing they need is more stress in their lives. But when their annoying, stubborn, high-maintenance cousin May moves in, things get rough. This 16 year-old is a well-intentioned, kind-hearted brat. (P.S. May's full first name is Mavis)**

**I love this fic because May is the absolute opposite of a Mary-Sue character. None of the greasers have any romantic interest in her. She doesn't have a typical "tragic past". And she certainly isn't sexy or mysterious. I love May to death and I love writing her because she's such a little awesome annoying nuisance but doesn't even mean to be.**

**The story is in first person, from May's point of view, and it takes place at the time of the book. Except Johnny and Dally are still with us. Bless their hearts.**

**Okay guys, read and review! Let me know what you think! It'll be updated soon if there's a good response ;)  
-Vanessa!**

* * *

It was the summer before my sophomore year of high school when the tiny excuse for a school that I was attending got closed down. It wasn't a very great place anyway. But the problem was that it was the only school in the area. I lived in a tiny hick-town just outside of Blair, Oklahoma and was perfectly satisfied with going to a high school of only 100 students, but the fact of the matter was that there just weren't enough kids.

My parents didn't know what to do with me. My dad Patrick had a solid job at a toothpaste factory, which I thought was kind of funny, and apparently the pay was all right. My mom Anne worked at the bakery. Neither of them wanted to give up their jobs. I didn't expect any better from them anyway; after all, they named me Mavis. I call myself May, to save myself from embarrassment. How nice could they possibly be, giving me a God-awful name like that?

Their solution to the obvious problem at hand? Send me to live with my cousins in Tulsa, Oklahoma until I finish high school. They would be covering all my expenses while I stayed with the Curtis', so I wouldn't be too much of a burden. Financially, at least.

I hadn't seen them in about four years, since the last time they came to stay with us. I remember my mom saying it was a nightmare; she was so glad she'd had just one daughter instead of three sons. Of course, Ponyboy had been ten years old at the time, so that explained his excessive amount of energy. Maybe it wouldn't be such a circus staying with them, now that we'd all grown up a bit.

Blair and Tulsa are only about four hours away from each other, so the drive there wasn't too bad. My parents were being insanely annoying, though.

"Be good!" my mom urged. "God knows I love you, May, but you can be quite the handful."

"Do you think Sodapop is still handsome?" I had completely tuned my mom out, thinking about how gorgeous I thought Sodapop was even when he was 12.

"They're all gonna get ugly, sweetheart, if you give them trouble. Kathy and Darrel are gone. Don't stress the boys out." My mom turned around in the car and gave me a weak smile. I rolled my eyes. It's not that I didn't care about my uncle and aunt. Uncle Darrel was my dad's brother and I know how much he meant to my dad. But my parents had given me that same lecture about twenty times since we'd started driving the previous day.

"Are you saying I'm a brat, Momma?" I half-joked, but added quickly, "Don't answer that."

"Oh, Patrick!" My mom exclaimed, grabbing my father's arm and pointing out the window. My eyes followed her quivering finger: the Curtis' house! "I'd almost forgotten what it looked like." My mom was absolutely beaming. Before my father had even stopped fully, she ripped open the passenger-side door, barking orders at him. "Pat! Open the trunk! Well, gussy up a bit! Do you want to look like a slob or something?"

When we'd finally grabbed all of my bags, we hurried up to the front door and my mom knocked about 537 times. Darry opened the door.

"Darrel!" she squealed, and I saw his eyes double in size as my mom threw herself at him. She grabbed the sides of his face. "You look so grown up! I can hardly even recognize you!" Darry chuckled awkwardly, struggling to regain his footing. I took a step forward, realizing that I came only to about Darry's chest. I wasn't intimidated by him, though; everybody has a breaking point.

My mom pushed past Darry and into the house. "Oh, I haven't visited in ages!"

I took a deep breath. This was going to be a long day.

I honestly felt bad for Darry. He'd stayed home that day so he could welcome us in and help me get situated. My parents had absolutely exhausted him by the time they left (three excruciatingly long hours later), and he still had to help me set up my room.

I'd be staying in Sodapop's old bedroom; he'd moved in with Pony for the most part. I couldn't stop gawking at Darry while he lugged the mattress around on the floor to my satisfaction. Those muscles... He could probably send somebody to the hospital without even breaking a sweat!

"How does this look to you, kid?" Darry asked me breathlessly. I surveyed the room. I didn't like where the mattress was, directly under the window.

"I might feel a draft," I answered. Darry nodded obediently, pushing the mattress further to the right. I made a face.

"No, see," I walked over and flopped down on the mattress. "Now it's too close to the wall."

Darry looked a little impatient. "How about you tell me where you would like it," he wiped his brow, "and then we won't have to keep luggin' the thing around." I got up, standing a couple of feet away from the bed and studying it. Tilting my head to the side, I decided to stop forcing Darry to keep remodeling the room for me.

"You know what? It's fine where it is."

"Oh, good," Darry sighed, relaxing against the wall. He glanced at the clock. "Hey, look at the time! Soda and Pony should be getting home soon."

I smiled. "Is... is Soda still..." I felt a blush creeping across my cheeks. Darry looked confused for a second, then chuckled.

"A looker? Oh, yeah. He's got girls crawlin' all over him," he told me, walking into the hallway. I followed him and we wandered into the living room, flopping down on the couch. Not feeling the least bit awkward about it, I brought my legs onto the cushion and rested my feet just next to Darry.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" I asked, suddenly wanting to know. I guess it was so I could judge how often he'd be out and about. Looking around the living room, I was already making judgments; the Curtis' didn't have much money to go around.

"A girlfriend?" Darry looked kind of taken aback. "No," he shook his head.

"Well, why not?" I asked, not realizing how awful it sounded until it was too late. "I mean, I'm sure there's lots of girls that would love to go out with you," I added quickly. "You're real handsome." And he was. Not really in the stereotypical kind of way, but I'd probably have a crush on Darry if he wasn't my cousin.

My remark seemed to make him feel awkward, though. Darry cleared his throat. "Well, thanks," he said tightly. To my immense relief, Sodapop and Ponyboy burst through the front door just then. A tan boy that looked to be about Pony's age followed them in slowly. I studied him; not bad. He was actually kind of cute.

Darry stood up. "Soda, Pony... say hello to May," he lightly put his hand on my back, pushing me toward them. When I looked at Soda I got butterflies. He was gorgeous! And Pony, well... he still had time to mature, I guess.

"Hey, sweetheart!" Sodapop grinned. "How old are you now, fifteen?"

"Sixteen," I said quietly, still smitten by his good looks.

"Oh yeah," he nodded, "you're only a year younger than me!" I nodded awkwardly, smiling at Ponyboy and the cute tan boy when they greeted me.

"Isn't your real name Mavis?" Ponyboy asked with the most annoying smirk on his face. I glared.

"It's May."

"Isn't it actually Mavis, though?"

"Yes," I said through gritted teeth. Darry shook his head at Ponyboy.

"This is Johnny Cade," Pony finally said, and I realized that the boy hadn't introduced himself. He must have felt just as awkward as I did.

"Nice to meet you, Johnny Cade," I smiled. "I'm... their cousin."

"I heard," he said quietly. Just then the front door opened up again and a tall redheaded boy with a crooked smile came in.

"Woah!" he exclaimed, flopping down on the couch and putting his feet up on the coffee table. "There's a kid in here!"

"Getcher muddy shoes off the furniture, ya hood!" Darry scolded. The redhead didn't seem to notice at all. His eyes were fixed on me.

"Who's this, Pone?" he snickered. "Yer girlfriend?" Ponyboy groaned.

"Ew! Her?" he looked disgusted. I tried not to be offended. "She's my cousin, Two-Bit. 'Member I told you she was coming to stay with us for a while?"

"No," the boy called Two-Bit said confidently.

"Well she is," Sodapop answered. Two-Bit whistled.

"Well gosh, it's going to be hard for Darry havin' another mouth to feed, with y'all bein' so tight on money lately!" Everyone seemed to shush Two-Bit. I immediately felt guilty. How was I supposed to know that I was causing Darry trouble?

"D-Darry, I..." I glanced at him awkwardly.

"Nonsense!" he said loudly, rushing over to me and gently putting his hands on my shoulders. "Two-Bit, you've sure got a big mouth." I stood there silently, very confused by all of this. I was also starting to feel really homesick and queasy. I tried telling myself to calm down. I was going to be staying with my nice cousins for a while, that's all. My parents left me with people I haven't talked to in years, no big deal.

"I'm gonna go to my room now," I squeaked.

I scurried down the hallway and into my bedroom, toppling onto the old mattress that was still too close to the wall for my liking. I sighed. Hard for Darry having another mouth to feed? What was that all about? I don't eat that much... do I? I squeezed my eyes shut, willing away thoughts about my weight. Well... if I was causing Darry stress, the best thing to do would be to think of a way to help him.

I walked over to my suitcase, opening it and taking out some clothes. I absentmindedly put on my dad's old flannel pajama top and a pair of shorts.

Just then, I thought of something. Maybe if I could get a part-time job, I could help Darry with the money. It could cover all the extra costs like 'having another mouth to feed.' I rolled my eyes. Who did this Two-Bit guy think he was, anyway?

* * *

The next morning I was awoken by the smell of bacon wafting into the bedroom and the sound of plates clattering in the kitchen. The sun was pouring into the room from a window just above the bed. It was a beautiful, humid morning in August. I looked at the clock; 9:14. I was shocked. Usually sleeping in for me is waking up at seven. I have too much energy to lie in bed all morning.

Throwing the covers off of me, I realized just how humid it was. My skin was sticky. I slowly made my way across the bedroom floor and then down the hall, lazily running a hand through my hair, which was sticking up in all directions. I was almost embarrassed to be seen looking like that. Almost.

I walked into the kitchen awkwardly, spotting an undershirt-clad Darry sitting at the table, Sodapop directly next to him. Darry tore his eyes away from the newspaper to peer at me. He was exhausted, I could tell by the greyness to his skin and the glazed look in his eyes.

"Hey, guys," I said quietly, sitting in the chair next to Sodapop and pulling my legs tight against my chest. I rested my chin on my knees.

"Hi," Soda smiled at me from the corner of his eye.

Everything went silent for a little while, and I let my eyes wander around the kitchen. The quiet was eerie... and I hated it.

"What do you guys do for fun here?" I asked, not really expecting a response from the two zombies sitting around me at the table. "Because I love shopping but there was nowhere to shop back where I lived. So my friends and I would just walk around everywhere because we all knew everybody in the town. It was really cool but at the same time weird because everybody knew everything about each other. You know?"

I don't think I realized how fast I had been talking until I ran out of breath. Darry chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that reminded me of his brawn. I snuck a glance at his arms, fully exposed in the undershirt he was wearing.

"Well this knucklehead here drinks during weekends, much more than he should," Darry gestured to Sodapop, who laughed and rolled his eyes.

There was another long silence and I wondered if the guys were always this boring. I was going to ask where Ponyboy was, but then I remembered what an ass he was being the day before and decided against it. The house was way too quiet today. I let out an exaggerated sigh.

"You can help yourself to some breakfast if you like..." Darry mumbled. Sure enough, there was a picked-over plate of scrambled eggs and a stack of toast on the countertop. I awkwardly stood, opening cabinets until I found a plate. Awkward, awkward, awkward. I think that's the best word to describe my first morning with the Curtis'.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys so I'm glad you liked the first chapter! I hope you like this one too :]**

**Read and review!**

The rest of the day went by quickly. At one point when I was sitting on the front stoop reading an old romance novel, a boy walked by... a gorgeous one. He had glistening jet-black hair and the typical greaser look. There were some guys with him, I heard them calling him Jimmy. What a beautiful name.

I went inside soon after and unpacked my suitcase completely, put all of my clothes away in the dresser in Sodapop's room, and set up my toiletries in the bathroom. I even did the dishes. I got the sense that Darry definitely wore the pants in this household and the last thing I wanted was to get on his bad side.

He was sweet, though. I sat with him in the living room after dinner while Sodapop was at work, sneaking a peak at the want ads in the newspaper. I had my eye on a job at the convenience store on Holiday Drive... wherever that was.

I wanted to surprise Darry with my whole getting-a-job plan, so I practically jumped out of my skin when he asked me what I was reading.

"The funnies," I answered quickly, folding up the paper and climbing onto the couch next to him. He had come home from work less than an hour before, and he sure smelled like it. I didn't really mind, though. "What's new, Darry?"

He shrugged. "I, uh... I roofed a couppla' houses today, got a sunburn..."

"Guess what!" I blurted, then realized I'd cut off my cousin in mid-sentence. "Oh, sorry... you weren't finished." I blushed.

"No, I... that was all I wanted to say."

"You sure?" I bit my lip.

"Yeah," Darry answered, his eyes flickering up to mine for a moment. He didn't make eye contact much. Because of this, I found myself making a point of looking him directly in the eye.

"Okay, well... I'm going to sound desperate and weird, but... I've got my eye on someone. A boy."

"Is that so?" he laughed again, that low chuckle.

"I like your laugh," I said softly. Know what else I liked? Living with Darry. I had always wanted an older brother. Always. He seemed just perfect for the part. Strong, protective, and... Yeah. Strong and protective.

"Thanks," Darry flashed me a flustered smile. "About this boy... what's he like?"

"Well... I don't know much about him. He's a stereotypical grease, though." I smiled to myself. "That's for sure."

I glanced at Darry and giggled. He had this look on his face... I couldn't quite read it. He kind of looked like he'd just eaten something that tasted really bad.

"What's wrong?"

Darry shook his head and grumbled, "You know your parents would have my head if anything bad happened to you."

"What could_ possibly_ go wrong?" I drawled.

Just then Ponyboy walked in quickly, stuffing a pack of cigarettes in his pocket and opening the front door. He stepped outside.

"Hold it," Darry reprimanded. "Where ya headed?"

Ponyboy didn't even turn his head. "The drive-in with Johnny. Bye."

"Wait," Darry stopped him again. Pony came back inside this time.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to invite your cousin to go with you? I'm sure she'd like to see a movie." Ponyboy's face contorted in annoyance.

"But Darry, I've had these plans for a while now..." he began, but Darry cleared his throat and gave him a look that left no room for argument. Pony hung his head. "Fine, I'll bring her." Wow... what an impossible situation! If I went with them I'd feel bad for sure.

"Darry, it's fine. Really. I don't mind staying home!" I insisted. Darry looked from me to Ponyboy, then back again. "Really!" I repeated.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," I nodded. Ponyboy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, that's very considerate of you, May," Darry told me, scowling at Pony.

"Thanks, May," he said quietly. He slipped out the door and shut it behind him. I honestly didn't mind staying home. Well... at first.

Darry and I sat and watched the news for a little while. I kept sneaking looks at him, trying to figure out if he would feel awkward if I propped my feet up on him or lied on him. I scooted a little bit closer to Darry... and he scooted that much further away. Ouch. My ego hurts.

"Darry?" I began growing restless with watching the same old news stories on the television.

"Hmm?" he grunted, not even tearing his eyes away from the screen. I put my hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Darry, I'm bored..." I said quietly. He sat there unmoving for a few moments longer, then finally turned to face me.

"What is it, May?" he tried to grin at me.

"I said I'm bored!" I flashed him a scatterbrained smile of my own, closing the distance between us and leaning my head on his arm. He shifted so that he could put his arm around me and I scooted closer to him. This kept me content for a little while longer... but just a little while. "Darry, I'm bored," I informed him for the third time.

"Well go, uh... call one of your little friends or somethin'," he suggested.

"What friends?" I replied glumly.

"Your, uh... you know, your friends back in Blair," he said distractedly, eyes now glued back onto the television.

"Oh, them. Nah, I don't think so. Will you take me somewhere?" This was the first time (of MANY) that Darry looked annoyed with me. But I had already worked myself up so much that it didn't even matter to me. "Come on, please?" I asked again when he didn't reply.

"May, no. I've had a long day at work, now please stop." He still wouldn't look at me. I jerked away from him.

"Why don't you want to hangout with me?" I accused, my voice shrill.

"I didn't say that!" Darry looked surprised at me. "I'm sorry if it seems that way, alright? I, just... I'm tired, is all. Jesus, I wish you would'a just gone with Ponyboy. You would have had fun instead of bein' bored all night..."

"Then why the heck didn't you want me to go?" I stood, my voice getting louder with each word I spoke. Darry's eyes widened.

"I never said anything like that! Quit twisting my words around!" And now he was really angry with me. That made me upset. I turned on my heel and stomped into my bedroom, throwing myself on the bed. I grabbed my romance novel off of my night stand and started reading it, determined to stop feeling so bored.

I read until I got to the climax of the story. But for some reason I had a feeling of guilt nagging at me. I thought over what had just happened between Darry and me... and what the hell had I just done?

I owed him an apology and I knew it. But my stupid pride kept me in my room for another ten minutes, arms crossed over my chest. Finally I emerged, walking slowly and timidly down the hallway. I stood in the doorway to the living room, looking at the back of Darry's head.

"Darry?" I said softly. He turned to look at me. I ran over to him and flopped down next to him on the couch. "Darry, I'm sorry!"

He kind of laughed, looking flustered, confused, and relieved. "That's okay, kid," he finally replied. His eyes flickered downward, then he glanced warily at me. He seemed about ready to jump out of his skin at any moment, as if I were a loose cannon or something...

* * *

The next week or so was pretty nice. I spent more time with Darry and he seemed to become less and less annoyed with me. That was a good sign, right? And Sodapop and I had the same sense of humor and laughed together a lot. Ponyboy and I didn't really hangout. Because, well, you know. He's just weird.

On my third day with the Curtis', I had walked to the convenience store and asked for a job application. I filled it out right there in the store and it took me about an hour. I wanted it to be perfect. When I finally handed the application back to the bored girl standing at the cash register, I had a great feeling about the job. It was as good as mine.

It was really hard for me to keep this from Darry, but I just had to keep reminding myself how great I'd feel when I could tell Darry that I had a job. I had the whole scenario thought out perfectly:

_Darry comes home from work looking defeated and exhausted. He slams the front door on his way in._

_I, his little princess, run up to him and throw my arms around his shoulders. "Why, how was your day?" I ask in a dreamy voice._

_"Nothing went right. Oh, if only everybody in the world could be perfect like my widdle May!" Darry coddles me, talking like a three year-old._

_"Aw. There, there, you poor dear. Sit," I push him down on the couch. "I have news!"_

_"What wondrous thing have you done this time, you selfless little joy?" Darry coos._

_"I've landed myself a job," I state; modestly, of course. Darry jumps to his feet, eyes wide._

_"You little angel!" he exclaims. "Taking you in was the best decision I ever made!"_

And I expected everything to go exactly that way. Unfortunately, things don't usually turn out the way I plan.

Now, two weeks after I handed in the job application, I was getting nervous. What if I didn't get the job? I'd feel like a failure. Sure, I could always apply somewhere else, but... I just didn't have the patience for that. I was starting to really pick up on the shortage of money. Ponyboy's sneakers were absolutely ruined, but he still wore them every single day. When I sat in the basement watching Darry do laundry, he was so careful to only add the minimum amount of detergent. And both he and Sodapop worked way more hours than anyone their age should be working.

Ponyboy and I kind of clashed, however that afternoon, he introduced me to Two-Bit's younger sister... no doubt, Darry had urged him to find me some friends. Lisa Mathews was fifteen years old and seemed really nice. Unfortunately, my jealousy got the better of me.

"So have you made any friends here yet?" she asked, trying to make conversation. We were on a little walk around the neighborhood while Pony and Two-Bit went to the DX. I smiled, discreetly looking her up and down.

"Actually, I haven't. Not counting Darry," I skillfully made my small-talk, all the while burning with envy for the size of Lisa's chest. She had to be at least a B, maybe even a C. And she was only fifteen! I looked down slightly, grimacing at my tiny breasts. I took after my mother, no doubt. Brown hair, green eyes and a flat chest. I mean, I wasn't terrible looking. At least I wasn't huge or fat. But I definitely wasn't gorgeous. I was… plain.

"I should introduce you to some people!" she exclaimed, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"Okay," I said hesitantly.

"I mean, I'm sure there're some guys you'd be interested in..." she giggled, flouncing around in her little blue dress that was tight in all the right places. My ears perked up when I heard her mention guys.

"Like who?" I tried to act uninterested.

"Hmm, well, there's Ponyboy," she laughed, "you know Ponyboy. A coupla' my friends have crushes on him. Oh, but don't tell anyone!" she insisted, as if I was some big gossip in Tulsa who knew everything about everybody. "Let's see... Curly Sheperd, Tim Sheperd, he's real handsome, and... oh, I sort of know a boy named Jimmy Crandle," Lisa shrugged.

"Jimmy Crandle?" I asked a little sharply. Jimmy? My Jimmy? The typical greaser, jet-black hair Jimmy? Why, that bitch! He's probably crazy about her. I mean, sure, she's just fifteen, but look at that rack! And she's got perfect hair, and...

"Yeah, he's a real oaf. I wouldn't date him if he was the last guy on Earth!" she spat, tearing me out of my thoughts. Okay, so maybe she wasn't a scheming brat.

"This Jimmy guy... does he have black hair? Look like a real grease?" I had to be sure.

"Oh yeah," she nodded, scowling. "He tries to use every girl he can get his filthy little hands on..."

But I tuned out what Lisa said after that. Because guess what? I knew Jimmy's last name! I wanted to jump up and down and squeal. And I also felt like maybe I had to give Lisa a little bit more credit. I blinked at her, trying to get back into our conversation. She was too sharp, though, and realized that I hadn't taken in a word she'd just said.

"Wait a second, you like him, don't ya?" Lisa smiled smugly. I felt my cheeks heat up fast. I didn't want to tell her. After all, this was the first time I'd ever talked to the girl. But I didn't want to lie.

"I guess… maybe a little," I admitted. I smiled nervously at Lisa, waiting for her to react.

"Aw!" she exclaimed, her eyes getting real squinty. "That's cute!"

"But I thought you said he was..."

"Oh, forget what I said. That's just how I feel about him. It's cute that you like him! I could hook you guys up..." Now Lisa was talking a mile a minute again. I grinned, listening to her jabber on and on about how adorable Jimmy and I would be together. I loved this. Not the whole talking about Jimmy thing, but the feeling of having a friend, I guess. I might've been a little bit older than Lisa and she might've made me insanely jealous, but she was already being sweet to me. So I liked her.

Later that night when I walked into the kitchen to see what was for dinner, I had a lot to tell Darry. He was rummaging around in the fridge, his entire upper half lost behind the door. I ran toward the counter nearest to the stove, thank God nothing tragic happened, and jumped on top of it. I leaned over into the pot on the stove.

"Mac and cheese again?" I groaned. Darry walked back over to the stove carrying a big block of cheddar cheese and a grater.

"Sorry, kid," he chuckled. "Can't afford nothin' else." That last remark kind of hit me. I searched Darry's face for any trace of worry; no, he just looked tired. He stirred the macaroni noodles with a bored expression. Eager to help Darry, I picked up the cheese and the grater.

"Do you have a plate?" I asked quietly. Darry didn't say anything, but reached into the cupboard and handed me one. "Okay, so guess what," I started, grating the cheese.

"What?" he asked, amused.

"Two-Bit's sister's really sweet! Like, at first I hated her because she has the perfect body and amazing hair and I feel totally inferior to her, but she just about hates the guy that I like and said that she could hook us up, so then I said..."

"Hold it," Darry interrupted me. "First, there's nothin' wrong you. And second... where the hell did you learn to talk so fast?" I blushed.

"There's a whole lot of stuff wrong with me! Like... I have no chest!" I blurted out, realizing what an awkward thing that was to say in front of my twenty year-old male cousin. He cleared his throat, shaking his head at me.

"Well, uh... I don't know what to tell you about, um... that. Talk to Soda about it," he replied, finally meeting my eyes and giving me a crooked grin. "But all I know is, nobody said you had to be perfect."


	3. Chapter 3

I spent the entire next day with Sodapop. Darry had to work all day (as usual), so Soda and I decided to have dinner ready for Darry as soon as he got home.

"What do you want to make?" Soda asked, searching through the kitchen cupboards.

"I don't know... what do _you_ wanna make?" I giggled and elbowed him. He turned around abruptly and tickled me until I fell to the ground screaming. I stayed there laughing and Soda turned around with a smug grin, starting to walk away. I was too quick for him, though. Before he had taken three steps, I wrapped my foot around his ankle and tripped him. He fell to the floor, yipping in surprise.

Just then the phone rang. I scrambled to my feet.

"Hello?" I answered, a little bit out of breath.

"Yeah, is this May Curtis speaking?" a bored female voice asked.

"Yes," I said hesitantly. "This is her."

"Well I'm calling to tell you that you've just scored yourself a job at Go-Mart. Congrats." My mouth dropped open.

"Really?" I squealed.

"Yep," the girl answered, in the same monotone. "You start September third at three-thirty PM sharp. We'll mail you your schedule."

"Thank you so much!" I practically screamed.

"No problem. See you then," she answered, hanging up. I started to turn around.

"Soda, guess what! I..." but before I could finish my sentence, a stream of extremely fizzy and cold Coca-Cola was sprayed all over my face. I frantically wiped my eyes just in time to see Sodapop shaking up another bottle of pop, snickering to himself. I dove toward the fridge, pulling out the first thing I saw: ketchup.

"Shit!" Soda yelled when he saw what I'd grabbed. "That's not fair!"

"_Life isn't fair!_" I roared, squirting ketchup just as he ducked out of the way. Great. Now there was a big, slimy red mess on the floor. I didn't have time to worry about the ketchup for long, though; soon Soda was coming at me with a bottle of mustard. "Is this seriously happening?" I yelled, holding my hands in front of my face. Soda squirted mustard all over me, the counter, and the floor.

I made my way to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of syrup, immediately chasing Soda with it.

This went on for a little while longer until I stumbled backward, bumping into a crate of coke bottles, a couple of them falling and smashing on the floor. "Sodapop!" I yelled, looking down at the thousands of shards of glass on the floor.

He didn't have time to apologize. You know why?

Because right then, right at that _exact _moment, the back door leading into the kitchen opened up. Do I even have to tell you who had just come home from a long day of work to find a kitchen that looked like it had been uprooted by a tornado? _I am _so _grounded._

"Hey, Darry," I said in a shaky voice. He was just standing there in the doorway, mouth hanging open. "Guess what; I got a job at Go-Mart!"

For a little while Darry didn't respond. He took a couple of steps into the kitchen and I watched as his face turned bright red and a vein started pulsing in his neck. He was practically shaking. I almost wished that Darry would say something; the silence was eerie and nauseating. Finally, he got a word out. One word. "_How?_"

"Well, I walked to Go-Mart and filled out an application! They called just now..."

"Not the job," Darry said slowly, articulating each word as if he had just learned to speak. He looked like he was ready to explode. I got that horrible feeling of shame in my lower stomach, like I was about to get explosive diarrhea.

"We'll clean it up," I said in a small voice. I glanced over at Soda, seeing him shaking his head solemnly. He looked kind of ashamed. Or maybe it was just the reality of how much trouble we were in crashing down on him.

"Sodapop," Darry said loudly.

"Yeah, Darry?"

"You wanna tell me how the hell you let this happen?" Darry demanded. For a second I thought I might be in the clear. But only for a second.

"Darry, come on, don't blow it out of proportion..." Soda started.

"Blow it out of proportion?" Darry repeated. This was almost comical to him, in a sick kind of way. "Okay, neither of you are going anywhere until this kitchen _sparkles_. Got it?" Soda and I both nodded. I didn't want to look Darry in the eye. "And then you're both going to your rooms for the rest of the night while I think of a suitable punishment. No dinner for either of you."

"Aren't we a little old for that?" Soda grumbled.

"It's okay," I shushed him. "I'm on a diet, anyways."

* * *

Two hours later, when the entire kitchen was clean, Soda and I sulked into our rooms.

I didn't feel like what I'd done was that awful! So I'd made a mess of the kitchen, big deal! We cleaned everything up, didn't we? Plus, Darry hadn't even acknowledged my job! I'd worked so hard to get it and he wasn't even proud.

Feeling rebellious, I opened my door a crack and sneaked into the hallway, slipping into Pony and Soda's room. Soda was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Aren't you supposed to be in your room? It hasn't been longer than five minutes," Soda said.

"I don't think we did anything wrong," I said confidently.

"Yeah?" he smirked. "Try telling Darry that."

"What's the worst he can do?" I walked around the room, opening drawers and peering inside. I found a copy of _The Call of the Wild_. "Hey, Soda? What's this about?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Dunno. Ponyboy had to read it for his English class last year and I guess he liked it so much that he got his own copy."

"Can I read it?" I leafed through the book.

"Sure," he said. "You're gonna need something to occupy yourself for the rest of the night." I sighed dramatically and headed for the door with Ponyboy's book. I stood in the doorway, feeling like I needed to say something.

"Darry and I really clash sometimes," I finally concluded. I shut the door behind me.

* * *

"Morning," I grumbled to Darry, sitting next to him at the kitchen table at breakfast the next morning.

"Hey," he said distractedly. His face was buried in the newspaper. I rolled my eyes and turned to Ponyboy.

"Pony, you know that book, uh... _The Call of the Wild_?"

"Yeah," he grunted into his cereal bowl.

"I hate the damn thing!" I exclaimed, then turned red when Darry gave me a look. "Sorry..." I mumbled. "Anyways, I read like half of it last night and it didn't make any sense! First of all, how the heck did Buck think in complete sentences? Last I checked, dogs aren't that smart." Ponyboy made a face.

"No, no," he fussed. "It's not like that. Buck's not portrayed as having a human thought process."

"He actually is," I argued.

"Well, it's only so that you can understand the hidden messages in the book," Pony explained.

"Hidden messages? Like morals of the story?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Survival of the fittest. Whoever's the strongest is the alpha-male, ya know? What they say goes." I let my gaze land on Darry when Ponyboy said this. Survival of the fittest. Who was going to win in the end: Darry or me? After all, it's not like I was trying to defy him! I was... right! And that was that.

Soon Darry felt me staring at him and looked up from the paper.

"Yes?" Darry asked.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just thinking."

"Listen." He put down the newspaper. "I've been thinking too. Since you and Sodapop cleaned up so well yesterday and barely complained... I guess yer off the hook." I found myself grinning stupidly up at Darry's passive expression. "For now," he added, his face hardening. "Don't you guys ever let that happen again, ya hear?"

So I had won? Was I learning to manipulate Darry? But wait... I hadn't done or said anything that might have swayed him. So maybe I was just really starting to grow on him. Okay. I'd won the battle... but I hadn't won the war. I nodded vigorously.

"So, uh... you got a job?" he asked, and my whole face lit up.

"Yeah! I start in a couple of weeks. I can't wait, Darry! I can help you guys with the money and get outta your hair," I laughed a little bit. Just then the phone rang. I jumped up. "I'll get it!" Darry chuckled and shook his head before returning to the newspaper.

"Hullo?"

"Hi, May!" Lisa Mathews exclaimed.

"Hi! What's up?" I leaned against the wall. Lisa and I had hung out a couple of times since that day when I admitted that I liked Jimmy. She'd told me a lot about her life, about all the awful guys that had hurt her or her friends that I should definitely stay away from (Jimmy was on this list, but I didn't care), how Two-Bit always got drunk and brought home trampy girls, and her mom's late-night job at a bar. We'd begun to really trust one another.

"Well, a bunch of people are going to go see a movie today. Would you want to come with us?" she asked. I silently cheered, overjoyed that Darry had decided not to punish me.

"Yeah, of course. Definitely!" I said eagerly. "Who's going to be there?"

"A bunch of people. Melissa, Sharon, Kate, Curly, May, maybe Tim..." she continued while my mind raced with the excitement of finally meeting the Shepards. I had heard they were really handsome. "Michael, Jimmy..."

"Jimmy?" I cut her off. "Really? He's going to come?"

"Maybe," she said. "He was kinda unclear about whether or not he would, but he'll probably end up going."

Lisa told me the rest of the details about the get-together. I couldn't wait. I really had a social life. This was awesome. And I was going to see Jimmy! I had to look _perfect_.

* * *

At around six o'clock that night I slipped into the livingroom and tried to make a quick getaway.

"I'm going out," I called, trying to pull the same thing Ponyboy had on one of my first couple of days in Tulsa.

"Where to?" Darry asked in a quiet voice from the couch three feet from me. Shit. I'd been hoping that he would at least be in the kitchen, if not in his room.

"Oh... just a get-together at the movie house," I answered. I turned around to see Soda and Steve sitting on the couch, also staring at me. Their gazes, however, weren't dripping with harsh accusation.

"Mhm, and who's going?" Darry didn't change his tone.

"Umm... well, Lisa's going to be there!" I said quickly, knowing that he was aware of Lisa's squeaky-clean reputation. "And a lot of her girlfriends... and," I tried to look uninterested, "a couple of guys, probably."

Darry nodded slowly. I could see that he was thinking this over very carefully. Although his brow was knitted, he looked to be giving in.

"Okay," he finally said. "Have a good time. Be back by ten."

"I will." I beamed. Wow. I had won again? This was amazing. I was about to leave when remembered something important.

"Sodapop?" He and Steve both looked up at me again.

"Yeah?"

"Okay, so let's say there's this really cute girl." I walked back to the couch and sat down next to him. He gave me an odd look. "She's smart, pretty, and funny. But she's really flat chested. That wouldn't matter to you, right?"

I heard Darry sigh heavily. _Yes Darry. I did remember to talk to Soda about this issue._

"Hold it," Steve butted in. "I thought you said she was cute!"

"She is!" I insisted.

"But she's flat chested?"

"So that cancels out the cute?" I gasped.

"Definitely!" Steve said confidently. "It's a deal breaker."

I looked at Soda for help. He could see how distressed I was.

"It's not a deal-breaker for me!" Soda said. "If she's cute and funny, the chest size doesn't matter. It doesn't matter for a lot of guys."

"Yeah, the _desperate_ guys that never get any," Steve mumbled. Soda turned to him slowly, fake anger evident on his face.

"Are you saying that Sodapop Curtis doesn't get any? Is that what you're trying to say, punk?" He stood up, puffing his chest out.

"That's exactly what I'm tryin' to say!" Steve stood up, laughing, and gave Soda a hard shove in the chest. Sodapop wrestled Steve to the floor, snickering the whole time. I decided that that was all I needed to hear.

I didn't want to date Steve Randle, anyways!

* * *

"You want a drink?" Lisa asked me. I shrugged as I tried to discreetly spot where Jimmy was sitting.

"Sure," I replied. Lisa made a face.

"Lighten up, May! A watched pot never boils." She smiled and then skipped off with a few of the girls to go buy us drinks. _Who _says _that?_ I thought to myself.

I stared up at the big movie screen against the cloudy sky. The film would probably start soon and I'd have no chance to talk to Jimmy. I finally spotted him, sitting two rows below me. His jet-black hair looked great, all greased back and combed perfectly. I didn't care anymore what Lisa said.

Before I could lose my nerve, I got up out of my seat and shuffled through the people in my row. I walked over to Jimmy. Lucky for me, he was sitting on the end of his row.

"Hey there," I greeted and immediately flinched at my choice of words. _"Hey there?" Nice one._ I shook my head. Then Jimmy turned to look at me. He had the most beautiful deep brown eyes.

"Hey," he said. I watched him look me up and down a couple of times. Soon he was smiling at me, a crooked smile. "Do I know you?"

"Not yet," I said a little too quickly. "I'm May." I held out my hand. He stood up and got a little too close to me, then took my hand and shook it. His whole aura was so domineering: his voice, the way he stood towering over me... It kind of made me wet. It also scared me. But you know what? I _loved_ it.

"Jimmy," he said. "Jimmy Crandle."

"I know," I whispered, my eyes flickering up to meet his. His breath smelled so strongly of whiskey that I almost gagged. But somehow he was so intoxicating. Such a babe!

He looked like he was about to say something, but then loud music started and I knew I had to get back to my seat to watch the movie.

"It was nice meeting you," I said shyly.

"Hey, you too," Jimmy replied, nodding at me. "I'll talk to you after the movie."

* * *

When the movie was finally over, Lisa, Tim, Curly, Kate, Jimmy and I all walked home together as a group. I couldn't stop sneaking looks at Jimmy. He had his own walk, too, like nobody else's. And once in a while I even caught him staring at me too.

I was fuming when he pulled Lisa aside and started talking to her about something. I watched her face light up and I got even more mad. But then she ran over to me.

"Jimmy just asked me about you," she whispered. She wiggled her eyebrows at me. I gaped.

"Really? Nuh-uh. ..._really_?" I looked over at Jimmy and he smiled at me.

"Mmhm!" Lisa answered confidently. "He wanted to know if you have a boyfriend."

"What did you say?" I demanded, smiling like an idiot.

"I told him you're engaged and don't want his trashy ass. Whaddya think I said? I told him you're not seeing anyone right now!" Lisa giggled. "He wants to ask you out."

I felt like I was floating. I just couldn't believe that I was that lucky! I didn't completely believe Lisa at first. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I stayed quiet and out of the way as the rest of the group talked and laughed together. I was about to get worried when Jimmy finally wandered toward me.

"Hey babe," he said, standing really close to me. He was too darned handsome!

"Hey Jimmy," I tried to sound as indifferent as possible.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime. Like this Friday? We could get to know each other." Jimmy looked at me, his eyes discreetly darting up and down. He was checking me out. I nodded slowly.

"Okay. Yeah. Sounds good," I said. "I'll have Lisa give you my number." I felt like I was flying. I was on top of the world! Absolutely _nothing_ could possibly go wrong! I was going to go out with Jimmy Crandle. We were going on a date on Friday. Jimmy and I were going to fall in love and be the cutest couple in Tulsa!

I suddenly realized that I wouldn't have anything to wear for our date. But wait, that wouldn't be a problem! I'd just ask Darry to... Darry. Shit. Oh, shit. What would Darry say about me dating a hood?

I was quiet for the rest of the walk home. Darry couldn't say no, he just couldn't! It would ruin everything!

He wouldn't say no. I'd make sure of it.


End file.
